Apparatus for applying coatings.



' No. 646,6l6.

(No Model.)

Pfented Apr. 3, |900. w. L. ALLEN. APPRATUS FUR APPLYING CATINGS.

(Applicatian tiled Apr. 1U i899.)

' a sheets-sheet l.

q mi) I I Hem-m1 WITNESSES INVENTOR No. 646,6!6. A Patented Apr. 3,|900. W, L. ALLEN.

APPARATUS FUR APPLYING CUATINGS.

(Application md Apr. 1o, 1899.1

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(im Model.;

WlTNESSES INVENT "y 7.1m www i.: al..

Patented Apr. 3

w. L. ALLEN. APPBTUS FOR APPLYING COATINGS.

(Application flied Apr. 10, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

INVENTOR fm: naam: neus no.. Pummurna. wAsulNGTon. E. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILL L. ALLEN, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELMER G.ELLIOTT AND J. FRANK ELLIOTT, OF EVANS CITY, PENNSYL- yVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING COATINGS.

iSPIEGIFICATION forming* part Of Letters Patent NO. 646,616, dated April3, 1900.

' Application lecl April l0, 1899. Serial No. 712,375. (No model.)

To V@ZZ whom t may concern."

Be it known that I, `WILL I..'ALLEN, of Butler, in the county of Butlerand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a newand useful lm provement inApparatus for Applying Coatings, of rwhich the following is affull,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which- I Figure 1 is aside elevation, partly broken away, of my preferred form of machine.Fig. 2 is atop plan View, partly broken away. Fig. 3 is across-sectional view; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are enlarged detail views,hereinafter referred to. .A i l My invention relates to apparatusforcoating surfaces, and more particularly to the silvering of mirrors,though' it may be used for l other purposes; and its objects aretoprovide a simple and effective automatic machine whereby the articleto'` be coated is carried overa slot or opening through which thematerial is continuously applied, to provide imv proved means forholding the article thus carried, and, further,- toautomatically raisethe level of the "coating-bath asy it is used.

In the drawings, 2 represent-s a pot for the molten amalgam, which atone side is provided with a long horizontal extension 3, having a longslot at its top, which Vmay be partially closed by a lioat 4, ofinverted- L'shape, and which leaves a very narrow opening along oneedge, through which the molten amalgam is forced upwardly. The pot andits extension are provided witha hollow wall, forming a steam-jacket 5,through which steam is circulated to keep the metal at the desiredtemperature. A plunger 6 projects into the p ot proper and is secured toa stem 7, the upper screw-threaded portion vof which engages acorresponding screw-threaded hole in a bevelwheel 8, carried on thebearing 9. The upper end of the stem is provided with a handle 10, sothat the plunger may be moved vertically byhand, if'desired, so as toraise or lower the level of the metal in the extension. The iioat 4 isspaced thedesired distance from one edge of the mouthbydownwardly-projecting lips upon end brackets 11, thus regulating thewidth of the slot through which the metal is forced up.

Vbraced by suitable branches 28.

The pot and extension are carried on vertical standards 12, which areprovided with suitable guides for the sides of the extension, and theentire pot may be raised and lowered by screw spindles 13, engaginginwardlythreaded downward extensions of the pot and actuated byworm-gear connection 14 with a shaft 15, which is rotated by handle 16.The pot may thus be brought to the exact level desired and accuratelyadj usted. f

To carry the plate which isto be silvered across the slot, I employ alarge metal plate 17, the bottom face of which is provided with a seriesof depending ribs or flanges 18, which divide it into a large number ofseparate cells'. Centrally placed in each vacuu in-cup 19, ofArubberorsimilar material, whose lower edge is slightly below the loweredge of the ribs. The cup is provided with an annular flange 20 and issecured'within the cell by screws passing through a metal ring seatedagainst the flange 20'and entering the body of the plate. The stein 21of eachcup extends `through a centralhole in the cell-top and isconnected by a `petcock 22 with one of a series of branch pipes 23,which lead from a main 24, centrally connected to an exhauster or vacuumapparatus, preferably by means of 4a flexible hose. The carrier thusformed is supported from overhead rails 25 by hangers 26, eachcontaining an outer recess to receive the track-rail and having asecuring-plate 26', which engages an outer groove in the rail andprevents detachment. The rails are supported from over` head beams byrods 27, to which the rails are adj ustabl y bolted, as shown in Fig. 1,and are (Indicated in Fig. 4.)

As shown in Fig. 1, the track is not horizontal, but is slightlyinclined, preferably at about one-half an inch to the foot, theinclination being upward in the direction in which the plate is carried.The purpose of this is that any surplus of coating shall iiowv along theuncoated portion of the glass and drip into a transversely-extendingreceptacle 29, as shown in Fig. 1, from whence it runs into a suitablevessel under one end of this inclined receptacle.

The carrier is drawn along the tracks durcell is a IOO ing the coatingoperation by any suitable connection, such as a strap 30, which extendsbetween two pulleys, one of which is positively driven, while the othermay be drawn toward and from it. After the glass has been coated thecarrier is moved onto a point over a receiving-table 3l, and the vacuumbeing destroyed the glass is dropped upon a felt or other surface onthis receiving-table.

The glass is preferably applied to the carrier by laying the glass on atable, (indicated at 32,) and the carrier being brought over it the topof the table is moved upwardly by any suitable means, such as cam-levers33, actuated by foot-lever 34, and the glass brought in contact with thecups, upon which the suction is applied, and the plate thus held t0 thecarrier.

In order to automatically force the metal up through the slot as theglass passes over it, I secure to the side of the carrier a rack 35,which engages a pinion 36, which is loose on a short vertical shaft 37,having a bevel-wheel 38 at its upper end. A spring-pressed pawl 39 uponthe pinion engages a ratchet-wheel 40, secured to the shaft 37, so thatin one direction of rotation the shaft will be rotated by the pinion,while in the other direction the pawl will merely slide over the teeth.The bevel-wheel 38 engages a bevel-wheel 4l on a short horizontal shaft42, which is connected by a suitable reducing-gear 43 with a shaft 44,having a bevel-wheel 45 engaging the bevel-wheel 8 on the stem 7 of theplunger in the pot. Rotation of the plunger is prevented by a verticalpin 46 thereon, which contacts with the framing on the pot.

The operation is as follows: The pot being supplied with molten metal,preferably an amalgam, which is maintained at the desired temperature,the glass having been applied tothe carrier and held thereto bythevacuumcups, the glass is thus drawn in a slightly-inclined positionacross the mouth of the pot extension, and the plunger is at the sametime slowlydepressed, so that the metal will be forced gradually andslowly through the narrow slot and applied to the lower face of theglass plate or sheet. After the sheet has passed the pot the glass isdropped on the receiving-table and the carrier is pulled back to thefirst table, the pinion 3G running loose on its shaft, and theoperations are then repeated. The edges of the flanges or ribs formingthe cells are preferably covered with felt or similar material toprevent scratching of the glass.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart. A simple and effective carrier for the glass is provided, by whichits lower surface is entirely unobstructed. The glass is moreover easilyand quickly secured and released. A simple and effective means isprovided for continuously forcing the coating material through the slotas it is used upon the surface of the article, this being regulated bythe moving of the article over the slot, and the pot is easily andquickly adjusted.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the partswithout departing from my invention, since I claim- 1. In coatingapparatusa receptacle having a slot, mechanism for slowly forcing thematerial upwardly through the slot, a movable overhead carrier arrangedto move over the slot, and vacuum devices upon the carrier arranged tosecure the sheet or plate thereto, substantially as described.

2. In coating apparatus, a pot having a longitudinal upper slot,aforcing device arranged to gradually raise the liquid material in theslot, a carrier, mechanism for moving the carrier over the slot andactuating connections between the carrier and the forcing device;substantially as described.

' 3. In coating apparatus, a pot containing a plunger and having anextension provided with a top slot, a carrier arranged to move a sheetor plate over the slot, mechanism for moving the carrier across the slotand actuating connections hetween the carrier and the plunger arrangedto gradually raise the coating material within the slot; substantiallyas described.

4. In coating apparatus a receptacle having an upper opening, mechanismfor gradually raising the coating material in the opening, a carriermovable across the opening and mechanism on the carrier arranged tosecure the plate or sheet thereto in an inclined position, substantiallyas describedA 5. In coating apparatus, a receptacle having an upper slotwithin which the material is gradually raised and an overhead carrierhaving depending suction-cups arranged to hold a sheet or plate andmechanism for moving the carrier to carry the sheet or plate over theslot; substantially as described.

G. In coating apparatus, a receptacle having an upper slot, means forgradually forcing the coating material upwardly in the slot, and anoverhead carrier having a series of cells, each provided with adepending suetion-cup arranged to support and carry the plate, valvescontrolling the cups and mechanism for moving the carrier over the slot;substantially as described.

7. In coating apparatus a pot containing a plunger and having anextension with a slotted top, an overhead carrier movable over theextension and having suction-cups, and reducing-gear connections betweenthe carrier and the plunger arranged to move the plunger slowly down asthe article is carried over the slot; substantially as described'.

8. In coating apparatus, a receptacle having an open slot atits top,mechanism for gradually raising the liquid within the slot, a movablecarrier arranged to move across the slot and having mechanism arrangedto secure a sheet thereto in an inclined position, and a drip-receptaclearranged to receive the ICO log

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the sheet into contact with the vices; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

, Y WILL L. ALLEN. Witnesses:

THos. B. WHITE, ELLA F. WHITE.

suction dero

